My Job is Very Important

Steel is an essential input in the economic development of any country, its consumption being an important parameter of progress. After Independence, top priority was given to the steel industry, which Jawaharlal Nehru took a special interest in. As a result, many integrated steel plants were set up with the help of several developed countries. Despite a good beginning, the steel industry in India did not develop as fast as it should have. While India and China began at the same level, today China is far ahead of us as are many other countries. There are several reasons for such a situation but one important reason is our general lack of pride in our work.

It was also felt that the government’s monopoly of all developmental activities has also been a cause, bringing about a major policy change which encouraged more private investment in developmental activities. The result of this change is yet to be seen fully but the initial response is heartening. This change in policy has also encouraged the public sector to perform better. Steel production in India is still dominated by the public sector, though the position is changing gradually. New investment in steel is now mostly in the private sector. 

The public sector production has to improve mainly by way of more efficient working and modernisation, but fortunately, the response of the public sector in steel has been very encouraging in the new situation, giving rise to healthy competition between various plants. Some years ago, the Prime Minister had introduced an award for the best integrated steel plant in the country and the first award for the year 1992-93 went to a public sector unit, the Bhilai Steel Plant. I got an opportunity to visit this plant in July 1995. I noticed that the achievement of winning the PM’s trophy was a matter of pride for everyone working in the plant. During a discussion with the management, I was told that the credit went to their workers and officers as they were a motivated lot and always worked to perform better. The results of the year 1993- 94 and 1994-95 supported this statement.

I also learnt that the plant has been performing well on account of several factors, the most prominent being the strong work culture. There was a sense of pride in the job and that made all the difference. This reminded me of my meeting with a service manager of British Gas in the year 1990. At that time I was in the UK to attend a course on ‘Public Enterprises Management’. During this course, we were taken to the British Gas Company office for a visit. It was a service branch and its main function was to take care of the complaints of the customers, a job which was being done quite efficiently, galvanised as it was by an elaborate incentive system introduced to reward efficiency. The most impressive part was the pride glowing on the faces of everyone. I still remember the beaming face of the service manager while explaining the importance of his job which was linked with consumer satisfaction. The spirit with which he worked was praiseworthy and the result was that everyone in the office was a satisfied person, and encouraged to do even better.

The message is that our attitude towards our job or work should change. For most of us, our job remains the same, whether we join it by choice or by the force of circumstances. For most of us a change is either not possible or is not in our hands. Since we spend a good amount of time on our job, we ought to develop a positive attitude towards it. Otherwise, it adversely affects our life and the result is unhappiness. A sense of pride should be developed towards it. The society needs the services of all and we play a complementary role to each other. Everyone is important at his place as even the highest cannot exist without the low. While the aim should be to strive towards high positions, no purpose is served if we keep grieving about being in a lowly position. In that case we downgrade ourselves and others also treat us as such. Instead we can turn even the so-called lower jobs into important ones by changing our attitude towards it. Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in its chapter on Karma Yoga says: “Better one’s ‘duty’, though devoid of merit, then the ‘duty’ of another well-discharged. Better is death in one’s own duty; the ‘duty’ of another is fraught with fear” (3/35).

If all of us accept the importance of our duty and perform it well, the world will change so much for the better that there will be no cause for any grievance.

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*A House is built by hands ......... but a Home is built by hearts !

*You can live without something .... .... if you have someone to live for !

Rakesh Mittal IAS

Do Not Pollute Our Environment

Pollution prevention is an exceptionally major global concern because of pollution’s harmful effects on the person’s health and on the environment. Environment pollution comes in various forms such as noise pollution, air pollution and water pollution. Everyone is a stake-holder as we all are inhabitants of this mother earth. Each person has something to contribute to promote effective pollution prevention awareness initiatives. Environmental protection ensures a sustainable future for generations to come. We should therefore cooperate and actively participate in making the atmosphere pollution free. Individually we can help combat pollution in our own immediate environment. Most countries have already addressed the issue by passing some form of pollution prevention acts and measures.

Averting the onset of pollution in any area, be it on air, water or land could be the start and the simplest preventive solution to the problem. This calls for a conscientious effort to adopt good practices or habits by the people, the passage and proper implementation of appropriate government laws and the strict compliance especially by potential industrial pollutants. If there are no pollutants, there will be no pollution but somehow industrial development comes with the burden of pollution. The cost to business and its commercial ramifications make the simple preventive approach quite complicated and difficult to implement. However, this seemingly difficult situation does not deter environment protection advocates to pressure their dream of a clean and green environment. We can help them by following certain simple measures. To reduce sound pollution, keep the volume of your TV or music system low, honk the car horn sparingly, discourage use of loudspeakers and avoid the use of band and crackers in wedding processions.

To prevent air pollution, keep smoke emission from homes, factories and vehicles to a minimum. Stop smoking. Use unleaded petrol in your cars, keep your car properly maintained. Never use open fires to dispose of wastes. Industries should use fuel with lower sulphur content. Industries should monitor their air emissions in compliance to the prescribed standards.

You may reduce water pollution by not dumping garbage near communal taps, wells and other water bodies. Immerse holy idols in authorized places. Industries should refrain from disposing their chemical wastes in water bodies. Wash your car on a grassy area. Recycle and reuse materials and do not use plastic bags. Save all forms of energy like electricity, petrol and water. Plant trees and use natural resources sparingly. Everyone can help by adopting good and healthy practices. Every action of a person with regard to his surroundings has an effect on the environment. By becoming aware and doing the right action, we can be part of the solution to this problem.

Dr(Mrs) Archana Bharath

The Sour Curd

This girl, who is in her late teens, comes from a family with limited financial resources. She is good at studies, so she has been permitted by us to come to our place after her college and do some miscellaneous works while she also learns computers. My wife sometimes also takes her help to get some daily needs things from nearby shops. One day my wife asked this girl to bring curd from a specific shop. She quickly went and brought the curd. As we all ate that curd during the dinner, we felt that it was quite sour in taste, so we all dumped it. I asked my wife to enquire the matter from this girl. 

Next day, when the girl came again, the reason for the sour curd was asked from her. She replied that she always buys this sour curd for her home too, as this one is cheaper. My wife quickly realized that the curd quantity brought by him was almost double the expected quantity. At that point we did not say anything to the girl. Later, amongst ourselves, we analyzed the whole episode. We felt that around us there are many things we do not know. We ourselves have limited financial resources, but still we never thought that there could be things like sour curd or old-stock curd, which are sold for a 

different price slab and that too finds regular buyers from a section of people. At least I myself always thought that such old stocks will never find any buyer. 

We go to a shop and ask the shopkeeper to give us the freshest possible stock. The shopkeeper might try to adjust his old stock with the new one, but that care we have to take as a buyer. This episode looks simple, but somehow it touched me from inside. This is because I often think that I fully understand the plight of people with limited financial resources. Now I come to know that I have to learn even the basics again. Anyway friends, I shared my feelings with you, as I thought that you may have faced such situations yourself also.

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

The Lizard Brain

The lizard brain is not merely a concept. It's real, and it has its place on the top of our spine. 'Why did the chicken cross the road?' is 'because its lizard brain told it to.' Wild animals are wild because the only brain they posses is a lizard brain. But, is the lizard brain any way inferior? 

This is a Japanese story; believe it at your risk. I share it in the very shape I got it. “In order to renovate the house, a man in Japan breaks open one of the house walls. Japanese houses normally have a hollow space between the wooden walls. When tearing down the walls, he found that there was a lizard stuck there, because of a nail from outside hammered into one of its feet. He sees this, feels pity, and at the same time curious, as when he checked the nail, it was nailed 10 years ago when the house was first built. Then he wondered how this lizard survived for 10 years, without moving a single step, since its foot was nailed! So he stopped his work and observed the lizard, what it has been doing, and what and how it has been eating. Later, not knowing from where it came, there appeared another lizard, with food in its mouth. Ah! He was stunned and touched deeply - another lizard has been feeding it for the past 10 years...” 

The story would have touched your hearts and there could be some who might take it as real, because in animal life such things are probable. I think, these creatures living on lizard brains lead a saintly life and sacrificing for another is a pleasure for them. Studies on plant kingdom have proved that plants enjoy being used. When it comes to humanity, which is blessed with double consciousness (may be fox brain), self sacrifice is a highly painful thing. Are we living or dying? We begin our dying experience right from the moment we start moving. Dying to finish High School and start college; then dying to get a well-feeding career; then dying to get married and have children; then dying for children to make them greater; then dying to retire. It might be then that the lizard brain gets a chance to tell you that you have forgotten to live.

Joseph Mattappally

Remaining Unperturbed-08

No two people can come so close to each other that the thought of “I” and “thou” cannot come in between them. It is impossible. Only two non-persons, non egos, can achieve this unity and oneness. And since God is a non-person, a devotee can be one with him the day he ceases to be a person, an ego. As long as a devotee remains a separate entity, fusion with God is impossible. God is not an entity as a devotee is. God’s being is like non-being; his presence is like an absence. This aspect of God is significant! And this needs to be understood in the correct sense.

We the devotees have always asked why God does not manifest himself. We forget that if he becomes manifest, meeting with him in the sense of fusion, unity, oneness, will be impossible. Such fusion is possible only with the un manifest. Devotees have always said to God, “Where are you hiding? Why don’t you manifest yourself? ” This is an utterly wrong question. If God really becomes manifest, then great wall will rise up between the seeker & the sought, and oneness will be simply impossible. 

Because God is un-manifest, a merger with God is possible. Because he is invisible and infinite like the sky, the devotee can drown himself in his being, which is good as non-being. God is visible nowhere and also is everywhere. If he becomes visible, union will be impossible. 

If there is any obstruction in the way of meeting and merging, it is from the side of devotee, not from God.

Wishing you good health & happiness,

Dr. Dwarakanath, Director, Mitran foundation- the stress management people

Four Dimensions of Personality

In February 1995, when our Spiritual Master graced our home at Calcutta, he spoke on the subject of “Spiritual Dimension of Personality”. In the gathering, there were people from different walks of life. Due to his clarity of thought and skill of expression, the talk was of great help and significance and all of us listened to him with rapt attention. Swamiji built up the talk gradually, making the message more interesting and effective. Here is a summary of his talk, as I interpreted it in my own way. ‘Personality’ is a commonly talked about term and we all want to develop our own personalities. We must, therefore, first understand the term itself. Often we talk of a total or integrated personality, and this shows that personality has more than one component. Only when all the components are adequately developed, does the personality become total or integrated. What are these components and what are the characteristics attached to them? We shall use the word 'dimension' in place of ‘component’ in order to give it a larger scope.

The first dimension of our personality is ‘physical’. It relates to our body, state of health, appearance, etc. Though this dimension is very important, we have little control over it. By and large the shape, size and the colour of our body is determined by our genes. The only thing in our hands is to maintain it well in order to remain healthy. For this, certain discipline is required in our habits. If we cultivate good habits, the body becomes an asset and the development of other dimensions of the personality becomes easier. For example, early rising and early to bed, simple food, regular exercises and cleanliness are habits which keep our bodies healthy. A healthy body generally also means a healthy mind. If the body gives trouble, it becomes difficult to concentrate on other things. Therefore, the development of other dimensions of the personality is also dependent on this dimension which may become less important once the other dimensions develop.

The second dimension of our personality is 'mental'. It relates to the mind which is superior to the body. Thus, this dimension of the personality is superior to the first one. It is the mind which works behind our sense organs. The eye cannot see if the mind refuses to accept the signals and so is the case with other sense organs. Similarly, the mind is capable of making our sense organs indulge in right or wrong activities. Thus, proper development of the ‘Mental Dimension’ is very important for using the powers of the physical body. It is the mind which makes us educated, skilled in our jobs and enthusiastic about our progress.

Those who apply their minds in the right direction, achieve success in their goals. Some of us become doctors, engineers, businessmen or administrators according to our mental makeup. It is mainly the mental dimension which gives us the capacity to take care of our physical needs. But to say that personality development stops here is not correct. We have to add something more to our personality in order to make it integrated and this takes us to the third dimension. Before we come to the third dimension, some elaboration is necessary. We all know that certain doctors are very kind, sympathetic and helpful while others are not so. It may be that someone in the latter category is more competent professionally but in terms of personality, the compassionate doctor is always considered to be better. The same goes for other professions also. We always prefer a person who is good, kind, helpful and courteous even if those who are not so, are mentally or professionally more competent. This establishes the fact that there is a superior dimension of personality over the mental one.

This dimension is known as ‘Intellectual’. As said earlier, the mind, though superior to the sense organs, is capable of playing mischief if not controlled by a superior faculty. This faculty is called the ‘Intellect’. It is the intellect which gives us the wisdom to discriminate between good and bad. Obviously a person with such wisdom has a better personality compared to a person which makes us capable of better judgment and, therefore, useful, also for the society at large. In the process we earn respect and are considered to be good.

To add perfection to our personality, some finer qualities have to be acquired, even by good persons who may also suffer if they do not strive for them. This dimension of the personality is the ‘Spiritual’ one, the highest dimension. It is a fact that the world we live in is transitory. Even our good deeds are forgotten with time. Therefore, there is a need to transcend them too. If we do not do so, the same goodness may become a cause of misery. Also, goodness is only a relative term and its perception varies with persons and time. We do not get the same response from all persons, even for our good behaviour or virtues. Therefore, a sense of detachment has to be developed towards our good qualities too. It has been seen that many good and successful persons suffer just because they lack this aspect of the personality. One has to accept that all our actions are only a means to an end and the end is self-realisation. Those who understand this reality, develop the spiritual dimension at the right time and are fully prepared for all the eventualities of life. This dimension is thus superior to the earlier three dimensions and is necessary for the complete integration of the personality.

The idea, without going into more details, is to convey that for an integrated personality, all dimensions are necessary. They, of course, generally follow the order in which they have been described. I consider those four aspects like the four legs of a table which give it stability. Though a table with three or less number of legs may appear to be stable, any push or pressure will destabilize it. Similarly, a person with any of the dimensions missing may appear to be stable but is vulnerable to any accident in life which may disturb his equilibrium.

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*Humility, love, tolerance, mery, elz; are the true characteristics of personality.

*Personality is to man what perfume is to a flower.

Rakesh Mittal IAS

Give Useful Advice

It can be very hard to give good advice to people who are under stress or are distressed. One of the trickiest aspects of advice giving is that advice can be more of a band-aid than a true solution to someone’s problem. Some situations warrant straightforward advice, while others require a more in-depth analysis of a person’s habits and patterns. First of all determine whether your advice is appropriate. When someone approaches you with a problem they are having, it is important to ascertain what they are really asking from you. Listen carefully and try to empathize with them. We often assume that people are asking for advice when all they really want is someone to hear them out for a few minutes.

When people are very emotional, they often are not ready for any feedback or advice so you may just listen to them patiently and try not give in to your natural problem solving instincts. Often, just helping someone organize the issue in their own mind helps lead them to their own solution.

After you have heard the person out, make sure they are clear on your style of advice. Let them know that you may have to say things they disagree with or that are hard to hear. If they appear to be open to your advice, move on. Diagnose the problem and try to articulate each option for solving it. Let them weigh these options on their own. Ask them what the best solution is. People often know what the best solution is, but it is often the least savoury choice. They may have omitted the most obvious solution most likely as it may be the most painful option.

People sometimes seek advice as a way to validate or invalidate the conclusion they have already come to; the only option they have is the least tasteful.

Once you have laid out the options, work with the person to really visualize what the natural consequences, tangible and emotional of each option are. They will see that there are positives and negatives to each option.

Ultimately, since you will not have to live with the consequences, you cannot make the decision for them. Offer them support in whatever decision they make and let them know that you will be there to discuss later on. We all need to be reminded sometimes that problems come and go and we survive. A truly good friend will be there for you through it all.

Your good advice may serve as a ray of hope in the darkness surrounding your friend and may change his life for the better. Facing life with a positive approach can do wonders.

Dr (Mrs)Archana Bharat

Receiving Holy Communion

This article is mainly for Catholic Christians who form the biggest denomination ( about 125 million) in the Christian religion. Everyone can benefit, though, as I have no agenda other than the unadulterated teaching of Christ.  This article is in the context of controversial discussions about divorced and re-married Catholics receiving Holy Communion at the Eucharistic celebration that is the most important worship in the Catholic Church. Eucharist or Holy Mass is the memorial of the Lord's last supper where Christ in a dramatic gesture shared with his disciples his body and blood in the form of bread and wine just before betrayal by one of his own disciples, passion, death by crucifixion, and resurrection. 

The discussions related to divorced and remarried Catholics and homosexual Catholics in connection with family life and Christian living in today's world are taking place in an important synod (assembly) of bishops and non-Catholic Christian observers in Rome with a view to reformation. These discussions are highly important as the synod tries to discern the will of Christ in dealing with all of humanity, especially the members of the church living in changed circumstances or with different sexual orientations.   

Christ as a universal teacher came for all, and his teachings apply to all. His program was to preach the Kingdom of God, and liberate all, especially the oppressed, from the clutches of all that was ungodly, unloving, hypocrisy. He lived an extremely simple life, and taught through example and parables - short stories of principles with a moral attitude - with compassion as well as authority. His parables, to mention a few, - of the Good Samaritan depicting our obligation to love unconditionally every human in the world, of the Prodigal Son demonstrating the unconditional love and forgiveness of the father (God) toward his wayward son, of the Lost Sheep wherein the shepherd (standing for Christ or the pope or a bishop or, finally, you or I) leaving the ninety-nine sheep to look for that one stray or lost sheep - are unparalleled in the whole of human history. So what further enlightenment are we waiting for?! Is not Christ's teaching plain and simple?! 

The test of the time is very near. Ultimately everything boils down to our readiness to be rejected, nay crucified, by the unpopular decisions that we make and that will not be accepted by our so-called constituencies that comprise our own very near and dear ones ( the world). Ultimately it is a war between the flesh and the spirit, the demands of the world and the demands of the Kingdom of God. Were we not taught by the master that a disciple is not going to be treated any better than the master?!

So where are we? For goodness sake, let us give communion to all who follow the teaching of Christ, and who in their well-formed conscience come with good intention to receive it. Who has put us in the place of God to judge the intentions of persons? If Christ could give communion to Judas, who would betray him soon after the first celebration of the Eucharist, I, as an ordained priest, have no problem in giving communion to the divorced, the re-married, the homosexual as long as they are clear in their conscience. If they are not clear in their conscience, the good Lord will take care of them. Christ never said a follower of him has to get a special training, and get ordained to celebrate the memorial of his last supper (Eucharist). We have given up our own rights to a bunch of administrators (priests, bishops, pope), and then we cry foul if they do not do what we have a right to.

I am reminded of a scene in the beginning of a pre-election campaign that elected Ronald Reagan as the 40th President of the United States in 1980. He was not very popular in the beginning of the campaign. So in the primaries his competitors would not give him microphone on a stage that he shared with other republican candidates. So he went and boldly snatched the mike from one of them right in front of the television cameras broadcasting the news to the nation. The rest is history. The bishops and pope will say this story has no relevance. Why? Because they rule according to the divine right. Well, you know what happened to the theology of the divine right of kings. The kings as well as the theology that supported them are all gone. You may also want to remember that this same theology taught that blacks did not have souls. 

We need to be also aware that Bharatiya Janata Party that governs India now is not India. Similarly, the pope and the magisterium (the governing authority) are not the Catholic Church. We are the church together with them. They are or ought to be elected administrators of the Church. A pope elected by cardinals appointed by a previous pope does not make sense. Democracy is not perfect. Nonetheless, only democracy, not autocracy, can go with an enlightened spirituality. In passing I may also note that Pope Francis and I joined the Jesuits in the same year, that is, i958. Only I left the Jesuits after about 25 years after due discernment. While I have great admiration for the Jesuits, I can say I will not be able to write what I am writing as a Jesuit with a fourth vow to the pope. So kindly read what I write at your own risk! I may also say everyone of us who is baptized, male or female, is a priest. In fact I dare say everyone who follows the teaching of Christ is a priest through the baptism of desire. I am not advocating anarchy. I am only advocating sound theology, awareness, and conscientization so we all can be aware of our own rights as well as our own obligations. Of course, all this has to be done in the true spirit of Christ, in the theology of kenosis (emptiness: empty of ego). We have to fill ourselves with Christ, and empty ourselves of our own ego. Here we may have different views. But then we do not all understand Christ exactly the same way. So, finally, let us surrender ourselves to Christ so we can do his will. Lord, help us see things the way you see.

Swami Snehananda Jyoti 

The Light House

Sometime back I heard this story of a “Light House” that I thought would be worthwhile on the Day of Lights. It was a rocky sea shore near an Island. The ships often used to crash after hitting a big rock that was often missed by ship navigators. The people on the island were kind hearted. They decided to build a Light House on that very big rock. This light house did help in saving many lives. To take a step further few people started living in the light house, so that if there is an accident nearby, sailors can be brought to the light house and treated. Slowly the facilities at the light house increased. Now if any wounded sailors are brought to the light house, they were immediately shifted to the basement, as the ground floor was carpeted. Obviously, they did not want any blood stains to get into the carpet. 

Somehow, even though much lower than before, the accidents were still happening. 

Now the people of the Island passed a law that sailors from ships belonging to other Island will not be helped in the Light house. They should make their own arrangements to go to the hospital and take the expensive treatment. This light house now came under the command of the politicians. There was a minister in-charge of this light house. Few people serving at the light house decided to break away from the team and created another light house on a nearby rock. The treatment services returned back and sailors again started to get free treatment with full empathy of the people at this new light house.

This story clearly tells us, from where the real light comes from. Yes! You got it right; it comes from the attitude of the people towards other people. Every time, I remember this story, an additional light source inside me illuminates. This reminds me of keeping an attitude of service for others. Service for others is much above my own facilities and comforts. On this day of Deepawali festival, the festival of lights, I think, what better day, I could have got to share this story with all of you.

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

The Great tragedy

“There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it. The last is much the worst.” Oscar Wilde. This is a quote which I always resist to forget even though I personally disagree with Oscar Wilde for using the word tragedy, instead of disaster. Tragedy is a form of drama in which the main character is brought to ruin or otherwise suffers from great losses while only the word disaster refers to real public damage. He is referring to life which is visibly real and in real life both the situations do not end up in a display of emotions only, as in a drama. Since every action is recorded in the universe with due impacts on all the elements in it, whatever we do, provided it is visibly harmful to anyone or anything, it should be called a disaster, and not tragedy. The Indian Holy Scripture Gita clarifies that there is not an action that is fully positive or negative. According to Lord Krishna, every action contains both the elements of good and bad, right and wrong. If this is true, life cannot ever be fully disastrous too. I assume that Oscar Wilde would have envisioned life only as a drama. Truly it is so, because people live as if they never want their life fixed appropriately and the entire human race behaves as if it is a legion of unrehearsed characters. 

As far as I know, success is attainment of a higher social status or achievement of a goal. Albert Einstein sees life from a different perspective. He said that the universe and human stupidity are the only two eternal things. He added that he is not sure about the universe. Stupidity is lack of intelligence, understanding, reason, wit or sense. Are our successful heroes the most stupid? Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa defines success according to the percentage of awareness of reality within. Buddhist Soothas invariably ask us to live an equanomous life with no passions of any kind and grow into a certified witness of the universe and every event in it. It takes us to the necessary awareness about which Sri Ramakrishna was talking about. 

In reality, as Indian sages see it, everything is a sign of illusion. Albert Einstein also is endorsing this cosmic truth. Whoever does not acknowledge this truth is invariably stupid. That is what he boldly stated. It is on the same thing Oscar Wilde also said, it is only in awareness of oneself and the present that tragedies disappear and stupidities cease to be. Visionaries, Western or Eastern White or Black, tell us just one thing; be yourself in absolute awareness, that is ultimate success. 

Joseph Mattappally

Remaining Unperturbed-07

Let us understand how a Sthitaprajna compares with a devotee, a bakta. A Sthitaprajna is one who has ceased to be a devotee and become bhagwan (God). And a devotee is one who is on his way to becoming God. So while a devotee is a one who is on the path, a Sthitaprajna is one who is already arrived. In other words, devotion is the path and steadied intelligence or wisdom is the destination. One who has arrived at the goal is called Sthitaprajna, and a traveler to this goal is called devotee. There is a lot in common between a devotee and a man of settled intelligence, because there is just a distance between the two.  The difference is one of journey and destination. The aspirations and expectations of a devotee turn into the achievement of the enlightened, the awakened one- and also goes beyond. And so long as a devotee does not become God himself, he will be thirsty, he will face discontentment too. 

About the distance, no matter how intimate an embrace is, a subtle separation remains between lovers. This distance can disappear only when two lovers disappear as egos and merge into each other and become totally one. Either in devotee & God or between lovers, this distance will otherwise be a distance. Whether it is a distance of an inch or of million miles, even if we reduce the distance to a thousandth part of an inch, it remains a distance nonetheless. So a devotee cannot be fully satisfied even if he remains locked in God’s embrace. He can be fulfilled only when he disappears as a devotee and becomes God himself. 

The problem is that unless we become one with the beloved, not physically but spiritually, at the level of love/ devotion, of being- there is no way for us to be satisfied and happy. This is the hardest thing to achieve.

This is not going to happen if two lovers remain tied to each other or a devotee is tied to the God. And the irony is, the nearer they are to each other, the greater their disillusionment and misery. When there was a distance between them they had hoped for heavenly happiness and joy that would come when they become closer to each other. But when they are really close, even closest to eachother, they feel disillusioned, almost cheated by their own hopes. This can be witnessed in this world among the lovers and also in devotees. The love of person to another or of devotee to God should be devoid of ego. Otherwise the aspirations are running in one direction and the efforts in another, and so frustration is inevitable. We who long to be one with God, nothing should come in between them, not even or to put it correctly not specifically the thought of “I” and “thou”. 

Let us think into this seriously to understand the ultimate reality!

Wishing you good health & happiness,

Dr. Dwarakanath, Director, Mitran foundation- the stress management people

Diving in the World Ocean

My wish to visit the Bombay High oil drilling site was granted in April 1995. The drilling site is located about 200 km away from the seashore and it takes almost an hour to reach there by a helicopter. The visit was well arranged and I enjoyed it immensely. From the engineering point of view, the whole operation is amazing. The fixation of the drilling rigs and platforms is an engineering feat. The foundations of these structures are very deep in order to keep them stable. During the visit I met some engineers who had worked there in the initial days of construction and they narrated their experiences with great pride, expressing the thrill of achievement. They also told me that the foundation construction of these structures was the most difficult stage and to carry out this task, expert divers were called from other countries. Subsequently, the art of diving has been sufficiently

developed in India too. 

We also discussed the techniques of diving. I was told that deep-sea diving was a difficult job and a good amount of training was required for it. As the pressure of water increases when the diver goes down into the depths of the sea, he has to take measures to withstand the stress. The deeper the diver goes, the greater is the pressure. In earlier days, the training process took a long time as the divers were subjected to gradually increasing pressure before they could venture deep into the sea.

Now, there are special equipments which create sea conditions artificially and the process of training is expedited. However, the principle of training remains the same, which is to create enough internal resistance or pressure to withstand the external pressure. If the diver does not do this, his body could collapse. I have drawn some very interesting inferences from this fact.

The world we live in is also like a sea. The deeper we go into it, the greater are the disturbing forces we have to face. If we are not trained or used to bear these pressures, we collapse and fail to achieve the goal of our existence. In that case, we sink and then blame the world for it. We forget the nature of the world and the fact that there is no use blaming external circumstances. We should, on the other hand, train ourselves to withstand the pressures of the world. For this, we have to develop enough internal strength so that the two neutralise each other and we are able to dive into this worldly sea like professional divers. If we remember this, we shall not only perform our roles well but will enjoy life too.

What does this mean in real life? It means that one’s development should be integrated. While it is desirable to have external growth, it may turn out to be disastrous if it is not matched by a corresponding internal growth. The greater the external growth, the greater is the need for internal growth too. That is why people with high positions, greater riches, greater fame, or power should be much more balanced than ordinary persons. If they are not so, the outer trappings may become the cause of their disaster. The conclusion is that a balanced growth of personality makes us good divers, plunging confidently into this worldly sea. The world will then cease to be a source of danger or trouble for us and we can enjoy living in it, as well as perform our duties well.

Rakesh Mittal IAS

*A man of wisdom lives in the world but the world does not live in him.

*How things look on the outside of us depends on how things are on the inside of us.

Utilize Old Things

In most homes there is a lot of stuff that nobody uses. You do not want to throw it away but, really, you cannot use it anymore. With a little bit of creativity you can turn these old things into something wonderful and useful. If you are on a budget or dislike the thought of shopping for new supplies, then take the creative route. Dig out all the old things in your house that are no longer in use and convert them into productive items. Reusing old objects is economical and environmentally safe. Anyone can achieve this feat with a little imagination and effort.

The rock garden of Chandigarh is a glorious example of old things being artistically converted into a beautifully decorative landscape.

At home, gift wrapping paper can be reused if you take care not to rip open a present and tear the paper to shreds. Save the wrapping paper for using it another time. You can embellish it with ribbons, sequins and stickers to give it a new look. If you have leftover cloth after making a dress or quilt, you can make use of it in stitching your baby’s dress or cushion covers.

Sometimes people end up with a large collection of decorative trays or plates gifted by family and friends. You can get plate hangers and display these on the walls of your home or use them for gifting them to people.

Pictures from old calendars can be framed and hung on walls. Old calendars can also be used as wrapping paper or be spread on shelves of your cupboards. You can take out the unused pages from your child’s notebook and bind them together to be used as a rough note book. The old school books of your elder child can be bound and used by your younger child. Do not throw old pens. Just change the refills and reuse them. 

In case you have a pet at home, you can create a comfortable resting place for them by using old blankets, sweaters or towels. Empty tissue boxes also need not be thrown away. You can reuse them for storing plastic bags. A great use for old fabric is to add some beads, buttons and new fabric to create new cushions for your living room couch. Use old clothes to teach your children to do needle work or make dolls. Old torn fabric may be used for cleaning the house. Old sarees can be used for making beautiful new quilts.

You can polish and change the fabric of your old sofas and other furniture to give it a new look. Making new candles from old, used candles by melting them is a fun craft project. Old pots and pans make for a great potted plant. Making new things from something old is always fun. With a touch of creativity and spirit, you can find a new use for your old things. So reuse, recycle and redecorate. 

Dr (Mrs)Archana Bharat

A Holistic Perspective - 7

Trust in humanity is very difficult in the face of humans wanting to mistreat or murder us for not believing what they believe. While trust, in spite of many very painful betrayals, can lead us to light, mistrust and paranoia can only plunge us into abysmal darkness. If we can take our painful betrayals from others including our intimate friends and very close relatives as precious opportunities provided for healthy detachment and our own purification from our ego and self-centeredness on our path to spiritual realization, our purpose in our life is achieved. 

A word about faith - faith is reasonable but not reasoned. The content of faith is not amenable to reason. We have the capacity to conceive an infinite being like God. Some philosophers think that that capacity cannot be there unless the object of that capacity (God) exists. Again who knows? God who loves and knows us and understands our sincerity has a way, because God is God, of saving us. That is why it is good to believe what we believe in while we let others believe what they believe in. We can certainly try to enlighten others as they too can try to enlighten us. That is what loving, thoughtful, civil, and healthy discourse is. That is what tolerance is all about. I am totally convinced that any enlightening that may take place comes from the way we live, act, and treat others. The more enlightened we are the better we treat others, the more God-like we become.

Since I left the Jesuits in 1982, and plunged into the unprotected world of reality and untrammelled freedom, many close friends, relatives, acquaintances, and clients asked me about my beliefs and views on various important matters. While I try not to shake people up without providing better props than those they already have, I have clearly expressed my views on various denominations or religions, religious leaders, or God-persons.  I resisted many alluring temptations of being with many persons and doing many things, and took the opportunity of intense solitude during this month in the ashram near the confluence of the mighty Mississippi-Missouri rivers to meditate, pray, read, reflect and put down my current definitive thoughts in writing. 

I hope these thoughts may be of some help to those like me who are always open to new inspirations coming from humanity in general and the great Holy Spirit of all in particular. Having said all that I have said, where am I now?  I believe in the Kingdom of God: a kingdom of truth and justice, a kingdom of peace and reconciliation. The characteristics of this kingdom are contained on the Sermon on the Mount given by Christ. The hallmark of this kingdom is the unity of humanity and the fellowship of all humans modeled on the Parable of the Good Samaritan. I believe in a God who is pure Compassionate Truth. This God is especially exemplified by the father of the Prodigal Son.  In this belief I find my bliss.

After all genuine and unconditional search, nothing could bring me to this belief except through humble and surrendering faith. No human knowledge, no human authority. In this connection, it is also good to recall what the great sage, St. Paul, said: "Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe...Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many powerful, not many were of noble worth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God."

Swami Snehananda Jyoti 

Nobel Prize Anxiety

This year on 10th October 2014, it was in the mid afternoon that all TV channels started flashing the news of Nobel Peace prize to our own Kailash Satyarthi and our neighbour Malala Yousafzai. People started searching the Facebook if Shri Kailash Satyarthi has a page, where people can start liking or leave comments. Within next five minutes a Facebook page with the name of Kailash Satyarthi – A public figure appeared. People started liking and following it. I was myself the 10th follower of the page and I left a comment that the page liking will skyrocket soon. True to my prediction the page liking reached fifteen thousand, within a span of three days. I myself referred this page to my friends and took pride in telling them that I was one of the first ten persons to congratulate Satyarthi Ji on Facebook. Messages on the page looked like the original ones being given by Satyarthi Ji himself. Now the page creator themselves declared that it is not an official page and they are talking to the Nobel Laureate to take over its charge.

This episode made me think about how an exciting event or circumstance can make us believe anything. This is the kind of anxiety dependent belief we see everywhere. These days’ media is reporting ‘U’ turns of many incidences that shook the nation in past few months. We all get swayed away by the way the information is presented in front of us. The habit of our brain is often used by street magicians to make us believe in their tricks. Research says that our brain has wonderful capability of filling up incomplete information. Pessimists will say that, one should have enough maturity to control their thoughts and no to get swayed away so easily. I personally consider the ability of our brain to complete the jigsaw puzzle of random information, to be of positive importance. Even though I watched an unofficial Facebook page, I did learn his ideologies and I did become thoughtful about the cause of children raised by him. So friends! Let us keep enjoying the randomness and entropy of this virtual world.

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg

Arch Demons

The biggest sin for a faithful wife could be her husband’s dishonesty; but dishonesty is not a considerable sin when it comes to a pair of prisoners. An action is defined a sin or virtue only in the context of the action. If there is a sin which is cardinal to everyone on earth, it could only be demotivation – the act of reducing somebody’s enthusiasm. 

During the nineties, the South African city of Johannesburg was plagued with crime. It was an Indian by name Sanjoy Roy (popularly known as ‘festival guy’, founder of Teamwork - an international event organizing team) who fixed it with a solution. He set up a variety of art centres and art events there. It could change the culture of the city very fast. He says, “People need to let their creativity out.” Sanjoy Roy could prove this in other world centres too. What we need to understand is that unless somebody’s enthusiasm for creativity is appropriately nourished, it could backfire as severe social unrest. It is in this context that I say, demotivation is an offence towards humanity. 

According to Psychologists any child is born with certain aptitudes some of which are powerful enough to fetch him/her a Nobel Prize. Frankly speaking, how many of us look at another person with an eye of appreciation over his/her talents? Truly, it takes genuine talent to see the greatness in oneself. This is the case in most situations. It is here that a small support from our side turns out to be critical for the other. There are exceptions, who strongly believe in themselves and dare to explore their aptitudes. We do not spare them too. We interrupt in their business and remind them that they are chasing an unreachable target. This is something more than demotivation, this is murder of a human spirit in action.

Any achievement is possible only if you have a vision, enough determination, and an endless supply of expendable labor. Once somebody is set with all these, a demotivating action, word or an approach could be like a fire engine set on a burning candle. People say that mad enthusiasts are cracked crackers, while they themselves are always sharp and well loaded. Yeah, it is the same thing that a sharp pencil also would say. All that we need to understand from similar people is that they are never used. It is said that there are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots. There are good people who talk about self esteem and positive thinking but only very few speak out on the havoc demotivators do. It is this resistance to expression that spoils family unity and disturbs the society damaging even the nation. A motivating word you speak changes another and modifies the world around too.

Joseph Mattappally

Friends Vs Relatives

‘God gives us relatives. Thank God, we can choose ourfriends.’ This is a thought I came across somewhere and have found useful. Many of us feel the difference between friends and relatives. At times, I have myself faced agony on account of several relatives but I have no complaint against them and accept the reality of their attitudes and shortcomings with grace. Such experiences in turn made me contemplate on the subject and I would like to share my thoughts.

To begin with, we must accept that every friend is also a relative of many others. Then how is it that as a friend, we find no problem with him while as a relative it would be a different story? Obviously it must be the difference in the attitude of the observer. If, somehow, one is able to develop the same attitude towards both relatives and friends, the problem will disappear. It may be difficult to do so but it is definitely possible. To understand the situation better, let us look at the reasons for this difference. The first reason is that we watch our relatives so closely that their weaknesses are known to us. After all, no one is perfect and even a very good person may have some shortcomings. Most of us have the tendency to dwell upon the faults of others. This tendency quite often shadows the good qualities of the person and we develop a bias.

The second reason is that relatives like brothers, sisters, uncles and nephews grow together from childhood. They normally begin their relationships with the same status, but as time goes on, this status changes and quite often there is a wide gap between two relatives who were once at a similar stage, be it financial or social. This difference creates a feeling of jealousy and gives rise to the tendency to find fault with each other.

The third reason is undue expectation. Frequently, we are disappointed when we expect too much from others or have unrealistic expectations. Most of us feel that it is the duty of our relatives to help us, irrespective of whether we deserve it or not. Also, we do not even consider it necessary to appreciate and express our appreciation for the help extended by them, taking it for granted. We all like to be appreciated. At times help is not possible despite best efforts but the efforts made should also be appreciated. Instead of doing that, one tends to put the blame on the person who made the efforts and, naturally, this creates disharmony.

The fourth factor which is quite important is the age difference. We have no control on the timings of our physical birth. As we grow in age, we acquire wisdom. Most of us believe that wisdom and age are synonymous while this is not necessarily true. A young person may be wiser than an elderly one but those who do not believe that this is possible, find it difficult to accept any advice from younger people. Apart from this, at times they exploit the young on the basis of the age difference, showing contempt or scorn. The young may show patience up to a point, but if the limits are crossed, disharmony is created.

The fifth reason is the fact that once a blood relationship is created, it remains for as long as we live, though it may not have any meaningful purpose. It is not in our hands to cancel it out. While there are legal provisions to nullify a close relationship, such as a marital one, there is no such provision in the case of blood relations. Such relations can he terminated only at a mental and, perhaps, emotional level, but often it is not possible and the result is disharmony.

Having analysed the main reasons for the disparity in our attitudes towards friends and relatives, it is easy to understand why we have more harmony with our friends as compared to relations. Without going into the details again, it can be said that in the case of friends, we have a choice, we do not watch them very closely, we accept the difference in status, if any, we do not have any undue expectation, we do not take the age difference that seriously and we have the choice of terminating friendship rather easily. It may be clarified that here we are talking about good friends, otherwise the chances of disharmony between those who are only so-called friends are even greater.

The message is that it is the attitudes which create disharmony and not persons as such. The need is to change them and if positive attitudes are adopted, there will be no cause for disharmony even with relatives. Wise people advise treating even a grown-up son as a friend. The same is true for a husband or wife as it is equally true for other relatives. Once we remove the possible causes of disharmony, we can have friendly relations with all.

Rakesh Mittal IAS

Lead A Simple Life

A simple life has a different meaning and a different value for every person. It means eliminating all but the essential, finding peace within yourself and spending your time doing what’s important to you. It means getting rid of the clutter so you are left with only that which you value most. However, getting to simplicity is not always a simple process. It’s a journey, not a destination and it can often be a journey of two steps forward and one backward. Clearing the clutter from your home and from your life is easier said than done. We are often emotionally attached to our possessions. This attachment goes beyond our needs and we find it difficult to let go of nostalgia. When we are free of physical clutter, it frees our minds as well. The less we have, the more attention we can give to those things we own and truly need on a regular basis. It is pretty amazing how little we actually need. We only need abundance of the mind and the soul.

Nothing external can give us permanent and true happiness. We actually have all we need to be truly happy, within us. The art of having less but enjoying our lives more, involves a few simple changes in perspective. First we must understand where our true values lie and focus on them. Then, we must take time to enjoy the simple things and slow down and see what’s right in front of us.

There is a saying, “The best things in life are free”. Spending time with family and friends, laughing, enjoying the antics of a pet, seeing a child smile, experiencing intimate and heart-felt moments with a loved one – these times are precious and free. Money brings comfort and there is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying that comfort but we should ensure to spend money only on things that matter to us. If you focus on enjoying the simple things you do every day, you can find so much happiness. In order to live the life you love, you have to love the life you have. Take time to be grateful for what you have and be content with all the small gifts in your life. It’s easy to speed through your day and not notice the little things. Slow down and fully immerse yourself in the subtle joys of this moment. Life is so precious, yet we spend our most valuable resource – time, on things that are not important to us. Go outdoors and enjoy the beauty of nature, read a good book.

Our outer world is a reflection of our inner world. By cleaning out and simplifying our outer space, our inner space will open up like a flower. When we open up physical space in our environment, a tremendous feeling of peace can dwell within us and we can find true happiness.

Dr (Mrs) Archana Bharat

A Holistic Perspective - 6

Is there God? Many theologians and philosophers attempted to prove God's existence. No one has succeeded in proving or disproving God's existence. I do not think that anyone can rationally prove or disprove God's existence. Therefore God's existence has to be confined to the real of faith alone, plight, shall I say. Interestingly, almost all human beings, except for a very small percentage of humans, believe in God. My spouse tells me that she has no doubt about the existence of God. Gandhi had no doubt about that Being (God) who is the Truth. 

All persons, except a couple of agnostics, that I know, strongly believe in God. I have great empathy for agnostics and atheists. Because I realize I could have been one of them. There is an unceasing, compelling feeling and thought that constantly beckon me to an Organizing Principle, Intelligence, Power, Energy of the universe that is higher than humans. In that realm resides my God. That God has a direct connection with my conscience. Is that the God (Father) of Christ, of the New Testament? Is that the Undefinable, Truth-Consciousness-Bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda = Sachidananda) of Sankara, of Vedantha? Is that the Allah of Muslims?  God is all that and more. That God is also the pure Wisdom, Consciousness (Bodh) of Buddha. Nay more, that God also includes the Totality of the Purified Consciounesses of all humans past, present, and future with or without their individuality. So where are we? 

We are where we started. And there I would like us all to live. That is all that we have. In this sphere of the mind or the soul, the beginning also is the end as God (Alpha and Omega) is.  And there we are all humans, nay gods, brothers, sisters, in love. Let us celebrate this life of abundant, unending, blissful love that happens because we have the capacity to choose to love. Let even our anxiety about having faith or having the right kind of faith vanish into thin air or melt into our unfathomable love for one another or humanity in whatever form or color. Let us get lost in the love of God and in the love of our fellow human beings in truth. That is the only way to God. How beautiful it is for all humans to live and love. Let us trust in our fellow human beings. We will take care of them; they will take care of us. We can live like sparrows in the field. No anxiety, no worry. Were not the people in distress in the mountain of Sinjar in Iraq rescued by persons of good will recently on humanitarian basis?! 

That is humanity at its best. (To be continued)

Swami Snehananda Jyoti 

A Shrine – A Teacher

I always wonder about the logic of visiting a certain shrine to do some worship at a specific place. If we know that God is everywhere, how come I have to visit a certain place, offer some prayers and in return raise our wish in front of the deity. In search for answer to this simple question, I reached Sri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. The answer I got, I would share after I share my experience with you.

After a walk of about ten hours to complete a fourteen kilometer steep hilly stretch our family reached the Mata Vaishno Cave campus also known as “Bhavan”, at 8 PM. This was definitely a very slow walk that was full of rest periods. My family meant me, my wife and my two children who have already crossed their teens. The queue for “prasaad” and for “locker” ate up another one hour. Then came the moment of learning Life’s Lessons. Children refused to stand in the long queue that might take about four to five hours to reach the place of “deity darshan” for which we came all the way, thousand kilometers far away from our place of dwelling. After seeing the queue and the hustle and bustle there, children declared themselves as complete non believers. Not only the queue was long, it was a highly mismanaged crowd standing in multiple mixed-up queues, spreading about a kilometer length. The queue was not moving. We were told that it would move after the “Aarti” only, but even after one hour of Aarti timings, the queue did not move.

After lot of deliberations, my son agreed to stand at the back of the queue and decided that others can join the queue later in his front. After an hour we found that there was no movement in the queue as many others had also decided our way and number of new people entering the queue was balancing the movement. Due to increasing fear of stampede I decided to withdraw my son from the queue. All of us were rather dejected and sat down at a place nearby. On way to this place we saw hundreds of people lying or sleeping on the ground. They all may also be as indecisive as we were. 

The moments that followed between four of us were quite like a chapter on “Conflict Resolution” from management books. We postponed the discussion for some time. After about an hour we decided to talk to local shop-keepers and other experienced pilgrims. All of them advised us to wait for some time and think of joining the queue when its movement is swift. I tried to convince my children to watch the swift movement of the queue themselves, before they decide to return back. At around 1.00 AM, although still quite long, the queue started moving quite fast. We quickly joined the queue and finally the moment of ‘Holy Darshan’ came in about one and half hours later. The return to the base camp was rather easier with our hands full of “Prasaad bags”.

Our whole family as a group, as well as Individuals learned many important lessons. Truly, such experiences are a great teaching moments. Visit to the holy shrine not only gave us the pleasure of being together on a mission, but to me it gave a better insight to understand the question, “Why people visit temples and face deities to raise their wishes”. Yes, you got it right. All this is a social togetherness exercise. Thanks for being together with me till this point.

Dr. Sunil Ji Garg